The weakness of China.

[Ancient One]

Since Japan is much stronger than China, what factors will be at work to stop Japan from quickly conquering all of China?

[Greyshaft]

Probably the same ones as affected the historical campaign.

* Poor supply
* High garrison requirements
* Not much value even when conquered
* More important things to do in SE Asia

[DiRaC]

ORIGINAL: Greyshaft

Probably the same ones as affected the historical campaign.

* Poor supply
* High garrison requirements
* Not much value even when conquered
* More important things to do in SE Asia

Japan had small chance taking China.

By the time of Dec 41, Japan and China had involved in total war for nearly 5 years, and had been in partial war since 1931. Japan planed to conquer China in three months but actually took 3 months to just occupy ShangHai city. However, Japan entered war in SE Asia in 41, so it was Chinese themselve who defended China alone.

Chinese army had a outstanding performence at the beginning of war considering the poor equipment they had. So I think the game should consider this. They paid hundreds of thousand of casualties and managed to stop Japan from destroying the whole country.
The number of Chinese generals who died in the battlefield was most among all countries.

The benefit of taking China before 41 is obvious. Despite the resouce part, Japan would be able to concentrate their force in pacific war. There were always more than half of Japanese army in China throughout pacific war. And Japan would have a integral and systematic land supply line from korea to Burma and India.

[paullus99]

China could also through amazing amounts of just plain infantry against the Japanese. There was also a fairly extensive underground resistance movement in the occupied territories that tied down quick a bit of the Japanese garrison forces.

Japan will probably have a choice - concentrate against China & grab more territory than they did historically, or use those forces in the Pacific against a much more dangerous foe (the Americans). Since logistics play such a large role in this game, I imagine the Japanese player will be forced to make many of the same decisions as they did historically - go where the resources are & take them.

Playing China could be very interesting, as especially aggressive play could tie up valuable Japanese forces & assist in shortening the Pacific War.

[Joel Billings]

You guys did a good job answering the question for me (and you haven't even seen the game). The game includes garrisons required to counter partisans, Chinese mobilization of additional infantry every time they are attacked (militia, warlord cooperation, etc.), Japanese loss of resources from the US if they go too far into China, additional Chinese production if the Japanese press inland. In addtion to all of this, it takes more supplies to execute an offensive in the game than to defend. The Japanese would be using up their scarce resources to launch a major offensive aimed at knocking China out of the war. It is doable, but difficult to pull off without greatly hindering their real need to secure resources in the Dutch East Indies and elsewhere.

[SeaMonkey]

Joel,

Just a fast question. I know you guys will get 99.9% of everything right, but just for us "what if" guys, will this game have an editor? I mean a real editor ala TOAW, not SC.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: SeaMonkey

Joel,

Just a fast question. I know you guys will get 99.9% of everything right, but just for us "what if" guys, will this game have an editor? I mean a real editor ala TOAW, not SC.

No, but it is driven by data files that are fairly easily altered. I expect there will be players that will create modified scenarios.